Kochi: The Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi will be the venue for ISL matches this year. Kochi, the home ground of the Kerala Blasters, will host 10 matches during the ISL season, which runs from October 2022 to March 2023. The inaugural match is likely to be played in Kochi itself. The Kerala Blasters team will start training in Kochi in August.
GCDA will continue to assist and co-operate with all operations of Kerala Blasters in Kochi. GCDA and Blasters will work together to develop football in Kerala and bring more matches to Kochi.
The GCDA will take immediate action to make the stadium environment more attractive and to introduce a multi-level parking system to control unsanitary parking. GCDA will provide space and support for the first football museum in Kerala to be set up under the leadership of Kerala Blasters.
GCDA and Kerala Blasters are gearing up to receive more fans for the upcoming season, taking into account the fan support for the Kerala Blasters’ matches and the popular participation in the live streaming of last season’s matches.
GCDA Chairman K.S. Chandran Pillai and Kerala Blasters Director Nikhil Bhardwaj discussed the matter in the presence of senior officials of GCDA and Kerala Blasters.
“GCDA is keen to fully prepare the Kochi International Stadium for the next ISL matches, fully embracing the football enthusiasm of sports fans in Kerala. Facilities development and GCDA, which considers sports as an important area of activity, will be taken over, “said Chairman K.S. Chandran Pillai said.
The main objective of this association is to work for the long term relationship between GCDA and Kerala Blasters for the betterment of the football sector in Kochi. With the support of the esteemed GCDA Chairman, there is no doubt that the football world in Kochi can achieve great growth. “We thank GCDA for our support and are looking forward to bringing all the Blasters fans back to Kaloor,” said Nikhil Bhardwaj, Director, Kerala Blasters.